Wind-deflector for automobiles.



J. M. PATRICK. WIND DEFLEUTOR FOR AUTOMOBILES. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 11, 1909.

QQQWO, Fatented Nov. 16, 1909.

70 2115 JamesPZPai/ zhfi l .terfere to some extent with clearness of vis on and retard the speed of the machine.

UNITED STATES PATENT our-iron.

JAMES M. relax, or Los ANGELES, cALIronnIA.

WIND-DEFLECTOR Fon'AUToMoBILEs' Specification of Letters Iatent.

Patented Nov. 16, 1909.

- Applieationfiled January 11, 1909. Serial No. 471,808.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JAMES M. PATRICK, a cit zen ofthe United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of 'Los Angeles and .are open to the objection that they are dangerous in case ofcollision, and that-they in- -T;he main object of the present invention is to provide a device for the above purpose which will overcome the rearward draft or WlIlCl. with nnnnnum expenditure of power and in the mosteffectual manner.

A further object of the invention is toprovide for utilizing the current produced by thewind deflector in cooling the radiator of the automobile. j

Another object of the invention is to reduce the amount of dust raised by the automobile.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

- The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention. Figure 1 is a side elevation of the automobile provided with the invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the deflector and'adjacent portion to the hood. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the deflector and hood.

1 designates the frame of an automobile,

2 the seatfor the operator or chauffeur, and

3 the hood in which is inclosed the engine 4 and radiator 5, the hood having a. perforate front 6 through which air can pass to the radiator. The deflector comprises a cone.

8 supported at the front of the hood 3 with its apex pointed directly forward and its base located, for example, substantially in or near the plane of the. front of the hood, said cone being fastened to the hood by any suitable means 9. The cone is preferably adjustable longitudinally ofits axis, being fastened by set screw 8 on a sleeve 7 extending from-a bracket 7 on the hood. Ex-

tending axially through the cone is a shaft 10 mounted to rotate. in bearing 11, said shaft carrying a fan 13 and being connected to be driven in any suitable manner by the automobile engine at. For this purpose said shaft may carry a pulley 14 connected by a belt 15 with a pulley l6on a shaft 17 of en-' the fan directly against the front of the cone,

a slotor passage 23 being left betweenthe rear end of this case andthe cone, the width of this slot being adjustable by adjusting the position of case 20. By locating the wind deflector as statedthe rearward draft therefrom at the lower-portion of the cone is directed back into the front of the radiator so as to aid in cooling-the radiator and the engine. Casing 20 may have a flaring flange 20 at its front and an ,inwardly extending flange 25 which prevents back draft from the frame.

-The operation is as follows: When the au tomobile is running, the engine 5 being in operation, shaft 10 is driven at high speed, say from one tothree thousand revolutions per minute, and .the fan 13 is ,thereby caused to produce .a rearward draft or current of air backwardly against the front of the cone 8, the casing 20 serving to concentrate the draft against the cone as stated. On striking the cone the current of air is deflected obliquely outward and as'it passes the rear edge or lip of the cone it produces lateral,

suction, by reason of its velocity, tending to draw the air forward from the space at the rear of the cone so that an eddy. is set up as indicated byrlotted lines in Fig. 2. This outwardly directed current-of airacts as a conical protecting sheet extending for a considerable distance to the rearward of .the

cone and obliquely upward and sidewise,- this sheet producing, in a space within and at the rear thereof, a condition of forward ioo draft or suction, and by proper arrangement i of the parts this forward suction can be made to substantiallyneutralize the natural back draft at the chauffeurs seatso that no uncomfortable wind willbe felt by the oper a'tor. This rearward current, inso far as it passes down and back into the hood 3, tends 110. to cool the radiatorand the engine, thereby producing a double effect of the aircurrent.

As the automobile speeds up the eflect of thenatural back draft produced .by the motion of the automobile on the fan 13 tends to rotate said fan in the same direction in which it is rotated by the engine so that there is no loss of power, the enei y being supplied to the fan by the natura air or wind. The rearwardly passing sheetof air also reduces the amount of dust raised by the automobile, as it neutralizes the forward draft at the road surface in front and alongside ofv the machine.

The deflector 8 is not necessarily conical and it may be of any shape ada ted to cause the rearward draft flected outwardly..

"What I claim is: 1. In an-automobile, a Wind deflector for the purpose stated comprising a cone at the front portion of the automobile and means for producing a rearward draft of air against the front of the cone, said cone being located from the an to be deto direct said draft above the front portion leaving a space between the rear end of the casing and the cone, said fan and easing extending above the front aortion of the autofront of the automobile and comprising a cone, a fan in front of the cone, and means for rotating 'said fan, said .wind deflector being extended partly in front of the automo bile and partly in front of the hood toproject a diverging conical sheet of air over and obliquely outside of the hood and Within the hood to neutralize .the natural rearward draft at the front of the' machine and to aid in cooling the radiator.

5. In an automobile, the combination of means for producing a rearward current of air at the front of the automobile, the discharge from said means extending upwardly and laterally over and at the sides of the front portion of the automobile, and a de{ flector at the rear of said means for deflecting said current of air upwardly and outwardly over and at theside of the front portion of the automobile and producing a forward suction directly at the rear of said deflector.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at'Los Angeles, California, this 4th day of January 1909i I JAMES M. PATRICK.

In presence of P. H. SHEL'roN, FREDERICK S. LYON. 

